It's been over four years since Enma has touched a tennis racket, after she transfers to Rikkai; a school where her brother has no influence; she finds herself being blackmailed into joining the male tennis club and becomes friends with strangest 2nd year

Atobe Enma lay still awake on her bed holding her oversize stuffed toy in the shape of the large pink ball shaped character Kirby right in her arms. Countless thoughts ran through her mind as she worried for Wan Kai, Eugene and Yuu's safety.

"Milady," whispered a degraded voice, Enma sat up to see Eugene stumbling towards her, she gasped but not for his sudden appearance in her room but the pooling blood at his side, he was missing an arm. His face was paler than ever. "Milady," he smiled. "I'm glade you are safe."

She clambered out of bed and rushed to his side. "Oh goodness! Are you alright? We have to get you to the hospital!" She stood up and reached for her phone when she saw Yuu bleeding on her bed, she took a startled step back only to walk into something…or someone, she turned around to see Wan Kai smiling at her, his eyes empty and hollow. She wanted to scream, but no sound came from her lips.

"Milady," soothed Riffeal kneeling beside his mistress as she tossed and turned in her bed as she dreamed, he took hold of her hand and held it tightly. "Enma." Enma sat up quickly, sweat trickling down her forehead.

"Yuu! Eugene! Wan kai!" she whispered.

"Alive and well," he assured her. "Wan kai was grazed by a bullet but he's fine Milady, he's alright." Her entire body trembled and almost unconsciously Riffeal embraced her. "It's okay Milady," he whispered to her. "It's alright," he said once more. "You're safe, you're safe with me," he repeated to her, over and over again.

Enma rested her head against the nape of his neck; it felt so warm, so comfortable in his arms. Raising her hand she reached for his.

"You are safe with me," said Riffeal once more taking her trembling hand in his.

Although she was comfortable in his arms, she knew it wasn't love, nor was it lust, just desire. She needed him, just as he needed her, they were neither friends nor lovers and she would never consider him family, but they were accomplices, companions, and in a way, partners. "You belong to me Riffeal," she whispered, not even sure he could hear, but that didn't matter, she was saying it more for her own benefit. "Yours arms," she gripped his hand. "Your legs, you eyes, your heart, down to the last drop of blood. You of all people can never betray me," she said to him. "Do you understand?" she asked him in a slightly louder voice, she pulled away from his embrace and pressed him down onto her bed, she kneeled above him her hair failing past her ears and brushing against his chest, neck and shoulder. "Do you understand?" she repeated.

"Yes," he answered looking into her eyes. "I will never betray you, I will never leave you, I swear this to you in my blood." She crawled closer towards his head. Riffeal raised a hand and touched her cheek. "I will never lie to you; I am yours to command, all of me, down to the last hair and droplet of blood."

"That's right," she said quietly, raising her hand and removed his from her cheek, she leaned in closer until their foreheads were touching. "If you betray me, I'll kill myself," she whispered.

Riffeal raised his neck and kissed her. "Never," he whispered back, Enma smiled and they kissed once more.

Perhaps it wasn't love on Enma's side, but Riffeal's…

Enma laid sound asleep in Riffeal's arms, he head resting against Riffeal's bare chest while her nightgown was discarded on the floor; her expression was not peaceful but at least at ease.

"She's a child alright falling asleep right after," remarked Yuu as he walked into the room. Riffeal ignored him as he carefully got out of bed taking extra precaution not to wake her up. "Oh! Pants still on, I'm guess you two didn't do it then." Riffeal glared at Yuu.

"Stop that," he said quietly. "Where's Eugene?"

"Still at the hospital with Wan kai, their story is that he fell out a window…then again it's true, although they failed to mention the sea of bullets that he managed to avoid while doing so."

"I see," Riffeal picked up his shirt and placed on arm through one sleeve when he spotted Yuu starring at him. "What?"

"What are you thinking?" he demanded quietly. "We work for her! It's not a good idea to get involved in such a way with out employers; we're contract assassins and bodyguards! We do as we're told, get the job done and avoid our boss as much as possible, not comfort them! That's their problem, not ours!"

"Jealous are we?" asked Riffeal, Yuu froze for a moment. "You'd like to know what it's like to hold her in your arms, to stroke her hair, to hold her hand-" Yuu grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall.

"Shut up!"

"I'm not like you Yuu," continued Riffeal. "The one I serve isn't her father, unlike you I'm not paid to spy on her, in fact, I'm not a contract assassin at all, I am given a monthly cheque, but there's nothing official about, the money is more of an allowance for daily expenses, I do not charge a feel for protecting her."

"Then why do you?" demanded Yuu.

"Because I want to," the assassin's eyes widened. "I want to be by her side, I want to protect her, I want to support her, I want to comfort her, and unlike you, I can." He smirked, anger filled Yuu's eyes, and jealousy ravaged his heart. "Like you, I've fallen for out spoilt, self-centred and short tempered mistress, but unlike you, she found me, and since then I've stayed by her side with the sole intent of protecting her, unlike you, money isn't an objective, unlike you, I'm not obliged to report on her actions to her father, and unlike me, Wan kai and Eugene, she hand picked us to be her guards, you were forced upon her." Yuu clenched his fists to punch the day light out of him but kept his fist at his side.

"Let go of me," said Riffeal pushing Yuu back. "I'll tell you this, I don't trust you, and until the day her father pulls you from this job to do another, I will continue getting in the way between you and Enma. I will never leave you alone with her; I'll never even let the two of you speak with out someone being there to protect her. And I've told Eugene and Wan kai to do the exact same. Her health and safety is my first concern, and I will do everything it takes to protect her."

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